Battambang Provincial Court has charged five people for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl, according to a court official.

Seng Phanith, spokesman for the prosecutor handling the case, said Sim Ratha, 19; Ron Vinuth, 23; Hin Langdy, 22; Mey Roza, 15; and Chuob Dong, 16, were arrested on Saturday in Ek Phnom district’s Prek Norint commune, where the alleged crime took place, and charged yesterday.

“These five people have been charged by the court this morning and handed to the investigating judge for further questioning,” Phanith said.

Ek Phnom District Police Chief Long Yotheavireak said the group was arrested after the victim’s parents complained their daughter had been missing for two days.

Though the initial complaint centred on whether drugs were involved, the victim – who returned home to her parents – later revealed to police she had allegedly been sexually assaulted after being invited to one of the suspects’ homes.

“They are young, we did not expect that they would commit such a thing,” Yotheavireak said.